


Narrow Escape

by believe_in_alderaan



Series: JFO Extended Drama [1]
Category: Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order (Video Game)
Genre: Cal kestis whump, Gen, Kidnapping, Pain, Spoilers, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:06:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21578044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/believe_in_alderaan/pseuds/believe_in_alderaan
Summary: Cal was unceremoniously dragged along the pavement on his back, his arms still bound. His mind raced. 'Should I fight back? I can’t fight back, they’ll know, and they’ll kill me instead. Also, I can’t feel my hands.' However he could feel rocks scraping his back and head. He wanted to cry out, but he was afraid of retaliation.“This one’ll fetch a handsome price for the Overseer,” the one dragging him along huffed. Cal still wasn’t sure if these were humans or something else. Either way, an awful realization dawned on him. 'Slavers.'---Set a few months before the beginning of Jedi: Fallen Order, Cal is nearly kidnapped and taken off-world.
Series: JFO Extended Drama [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1551049
Comments: 4
Kudos: 209





	Narrow Escape

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CheapBourbon (blank_ghost)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blank_ghost/gifts).



> We love Cal.

It didn’t always rain on Bracca, but of course it was raining today. Cal had finally made it to the train at the end of his shift. He was soaked from his head to his boots, and he was nursing a cut on his arm from a jagged piece of metal that he'd managed to run into during his shift. 

“Hey, make sure you clean that up,” Prauf grumbled, eyes closed.

“I thought you were asleep,” Cal responded bluntly.

“C’mon Cal you know I can’t sleep on this god-forsaken train. I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” Prauf opened his eyes and looked at Cal. “But I’m serious, that thing could turn ugly if you don’t take care of it.” He pointed to the large scrape.

“Yes, mom,” Cal retorted. Even though he acted annoyed, he appreciated Prauf’s almost fatherly tendencies. Prauf is a good few decades older than Cal, and basically took him under his wing when he crash-landed on Bracca. Cal didn’t just appreciate how caring he was, he also never asked any questions.

The train pulled away from the platform, sending a rush of water at Cal and the others that had disembarked. He didn’t bat an eye when he was completely drenched. It happened almost every time it rained.

Cal lived in housing that had been built by the scrapper guild, and it was located about two miles from the train station. The guild had created extremely modest apartments for their lowest paid scrappers. Basically enough to keep beings alive while they worked. Even the windows were just slats in the wall, mainly to let in air, hardly to let in light.

It was already dark out, and blessedly the rain had ceased. Cal was ready for bed, but knew he needed to tend to the wound on his forearm and also stitch up his torn sleeve. He didn’t own much, and he made sure to make things last for as long as possible.

The air grew stale. Not in the real sense, more like Cal had realized he was completely alone and felt like he was being watched. His stomach flipped over a few times while he weighed his options. He had been jumped before. Usually a deathstick druggie or two looking for a hit. When they found nothing, they’d give him a severe beating and leave it at that.

Cal always let himself get beat down. His anxieties about being found out as a Jedi helped him swallow his pride and also the pain. Pain was better than torture and death at the hand of the empire. He also knew that years of hiding had greatly diminished his connection to the force, and was terrified that any provocation would send it surging back and he’d make a huge mistake.

He stepped up his pace. His apartment was only a block away. He did his best to stay in the lights to discourage anybody from approaching him. 

The sound of a blaster shot rang out on the dampened street. Cal turned toward the sound, and was met with a stun net. The net took hold of him, pinning his arms to his sides and delivering an electric shock, sending Cal to the ground, head hitting the stony roadway hard.

“Good catch, Vex,” came a snarl. Cal groggily opened his eyes.  _ This is much worse than a mugging, _ he thought.

“Hey, this one’s still awake,” another voice said in the darkness. Cal didn’t move or say a word. The world was spinning and he tasted blood from biting his lip on impact. His hands were numb from the electric shock.

“He can’t do much. Come on, the ship’s waiting. Let’s get ‘im into the speeder.” Cal’s heart turned to ice.  _ Ship? What is this?? _

Cal was unceremoniously dragged along the pavement on his back, his arms still bound. His mind raced. _Should I fight back? I can’t fight back, they’ll know, and they’ll kill me instead. Also, I can’t feel my hands._ However he **could** feel rocks scraping his back and head. He wanted to cry out, but he was afraid of retaliation.

“This one’ll fetch a handsome price for the Overseer,” the one dragging him along huffed. Cal still wasn’t sure if these were humans or something else. Either way, an awful realization dawned on him.  _ Slavers. _

Prauf had warned Cal about slavers. The Empire actually encouraged and even funded the slave guilds. Cal knew that if he were taken off planet, he’d never get away. Fear gripped his heart while he tried to think of a way to escape.  _ Being as crapper on Bracca is better than slavery _ , he thought numbly.  _ Just like pain is worse than death. _

Cal was hoisted into the back of a rundown RGC-18 landspeeder. His captives took the front seats and off they went to whatever ship was waiting for them. 

The sky was clear now. Cal laid on his back, staring up at the stars and wondering what the future had in store for him. He was in a lot of pain, but fear kept him conscious. The feeling in his hands was returning, and Cal quietly moved his hands down within the nets to his belt. A few tools from the day’s work were still secured to him. He wanted to use his fusioncutter, but the sparks it would generate would attract attention. He instead went for his small carbon chisel. It had a rough edge almost like a file. He got to work on his bindings.

The ride was bumpy. Cal felt like he was going to be sick. He tried to focus on escape while he slowly worked on his bindings. He was afraid they were close to the ship, close to his ultimate doom to become a slave.

Finally his arms were freed. He pulled the rest of the net off and replaced his tool. He then froze; he hadn’t thought this far ahead.  _ Now what? Jump out of a moving speeder? On to the rocks?  _ Cal weighed his options. He had exactly one, and he was practically out of time. The speeder was starting to slow as they came upon their destination.

Cal made his move. He stood and took a half a second to survey his surroundings, making sure he wasn’t diving off of a cliff. “HEY,” a gnarled hand reached for him. He jumped.

His tuck and roll was less-than graceful. He felt blood dripping down his face and off his chin while he tried to gather his wits. 

His captors were approaching. Cal jumped to his feet and began to run.

“Get back here, vermin!” 

Cal jumped a fence and began to climb a stoneface, hoping there was somewhere to hide at the top. A blaster bolt struck two inches from him and he let out a yelp.

“You can either come with us or die, scum,” the larger of the two yelled. Cal didn’t look back, he just kept climbing.

_ Trust only the force. _

Cal nearly stopped. He hadn’t heard that voice in almost five years. He reached the top of the small overhang and ran toward a scrap station. He found his way into a warehouse and hid himself behind a large pile of old venator cruiser innards.

“You can’t hide forever.”

Cal swallowed hard. He was losing focus from the pain in his head and he desperately wished he had his master’s lightsaber with him. 

“Gotcha!” Cal was struck in the arm by a blaster shot. He turned and faced his attacker head-on, numb to the pain. He didn’t come this far to be killed by slavers, and he was now blind with adrenaline.

The man was rocketed back, landing in a heap amongst the twisted metal. Cal lowered his outstretched hands. He’d thrown the man using the force, his fear of coming undone wasn’t unwarranted.

Cal skid around the warehouse looking for an exit. Instead he found the other slaver, blaster raised. Cal barely thought before grabbing the man with the force and pulling him over his own head. He sent him crashing into a wall.

Cal ran for his life, not knowing if he’d killed his two attackers. Using the force would surely attract attention to him, he had to get away from this place. He ran along an empty road, his feet pounding along, fear gripping him. A delivery speeder was approaching him from behind. He knew if he could grab on, he’d be taken back into the scrapper’s living complexes while the speeder finished its deliveries. 

Timing it just right, Cal made his jump. He managed to grab the side of the cold metal vehicle and hang on. Scrambling into the bed of the freighter, he laid back, catching his breath. Every inch of his body hurt, but he was alive, and he was free.

Fighting to stay conscious, Cal watched until he was near enough to his apartment to hop out of the vehicle. He limped to his apartment, peering over his shoulder every so often. His shoulder shook from unheard sobs, and his adrenaline was nearly depleted. He vowed that from then on he’d be taking his master’s lightsaber with him no matter where he was. It was his only weapon, and this could only happen again. He had that kind of luck.

Finally, he was home. He made sure his door was shut tight and locked. Then, he collapsed on his cot.

\---

A loud banging at his door woke Cal. He worried for a moment that he had been followed. He then realized with a jolt that it was light outside, almost midday. He’d slept through the beginning of his shift in the scrapyards!

“Cal! Cal are you okay?”

  
Cal breathed a massive sigh of relief. It was Prauf. Cal eased himself off his cot and went to the door. Once Prauf was admitted, he had to sit back down. Pain radiated in his ribs and head.

“What the hell happened to you? You didn’t show, I thought maybe you...” Prauf trailed off. He knelt down in front of Cal, observing the bruises and scratches littering his body, including a massive scrape on Cal’s cheek. There was also a very prevalent black eye, and Cal seemed to be shaking. Cal didn’t say anything. “Were you mugged again?”

Cal still remained silent. He couldn’t bring himself to speak, scared he’d only break down in sobs. 

“Okay, you don’t have to tell me, but here,” Prauf offered Cal a hand. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you Cheapburbon (blank_ghost) for the inspiration.  
> Don’t forget to read the other fics in the series!


End file.
